Man of La Mancha (4 page)

PEDRO
   (
Laughing
) Aldonza! Sweetheart. Come here.

ALDONZA
   Talk with your mouth, not your hands!

PEDRO
   (
Pulling her close; confidentially
) I’ve got a nice thick bed of hay in the stable.

ALDONZA
(
As confidentially
) Good. Eat it.

PEDRO
You would refuse Pedro?

ALDONZA
Try me.

(
She walks away from him
)

PEDRO
My
mules
are not as stubborn!

(
He snaps his whip at her
)

ALDONZA
   Fine! Make love to your mules!

(
The
MULETEERS
laugh, then sing
)

MULETEERS

I come for love,
I come for love,
I come to Aldonza for love!

ALDONZA
   (
Contemptuously
) Love! (
She sings
)

One pair of arms is like another,
I don’t know why or who’s to blame,
I’ll go with you or with your brother,
It’s all the same, it’s all the same!

This I have learned: that when the light’s out,
No man will burn with special flame,
You’ll prove to me, before the night’s out,
You’re all the same, you’re all the same!

So do not talk to me of love,
I’m not a fool with starry eyes,
Just put your money in my hand,
And you will get what money buys!

One pair of arms is like another,
I don’t know why or who’s to blame,
I’ll go with you or with your brother,
It’s all the same, it’s all the same!

(
The
MULETEERS
reach for her, roughly; she pushes them off
)

Oh, I have seen too many beds,
But I have known too little rest,
And I have loved too many men
With hatred burning in my breast.

I do not like you or your brother,
I do not like the life I live,
But I am me, I am Aldonza,
And what I give I choose to give!

(PEDRO
offers money to
ALDONZA
,
throws it on the floor. She spits on it and backs away, luring him. He follows and presses the money into her hand
)

One pair of arms … is like another
It’s all the same, it’s all the same!

(
She exits
)

ANSELMO
   (
Laughing
) Payment before delivery?

PACO
   She won’t deliver.

PEDRO
   She’ll deliver!

(
The
INNKEEPER
enters with his wife,
MARIA
,
and another serving-girl,
FERMINA
)

INNKEEPER
   Well gentlemen, everything in order?

(
He surveys the interior of his inn which is somewhat the worse for wear after the violence of the preceding number.
MARIA
and
FERMINA
begin to clean up
)

ANSELMO
   Did you feed the mules?

INNKEEPER
   They’re eating as well as you.

PEDRO
   God forbid!

INNKEEPER
   He jokes! It’s well known that I set the finest table between Madrid and Malaga. My patrons have always—

(
From offstage there comes the blast of a bugle horribly blown
)

PEDRO
What in the name of—?

(
The bugle sounds again
)

INNKEEPER
   (
His face lighting up
) The pig-butcher! I didn’t expect him till tomorrow. (
Hurrying to the door
) Coming, Señor Butcher, coming!

(
He stops short as
DON QUIXOTE
and
SANCHO
enter.
QUIXOTE
has replaced his lance with the limb of a tree
)

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Haughtily
) Is the lord of the castle at hand? (
No reply from the flabbergasted
INNKEEPER
) I say, is the Castellano here?

INNKEEPER
   (
With an effort
) I am in charge of this place.

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Coldly
) We waited, sire, for a dwarf to mount the batt ements and announce us, but none appeared.

INNKEEPER
   The … the dwarfs are all busy.

(QUIXOTE
makes a haughty signal to
SANCHO
,
who delivers himself of a rehearsed speech
)

SANCHO
   Noble lords and ladies. My master, Don Quixote, knight-errant and defender of the right and pursuer of lofty undertakings, implores the boon of hospitality!

(
The
INNKEEPER
looks open-mouthed at the
MULETEERS
,
who look back in kind
)

DON QUIXOTE
   Well, sir? Is it granted?

INNKEEPER
   (
Pulling himself together
) Absolutely! This inn—I mean, this castle—is open to everybody.

MARIA
   (
To the
INNKEEPER
,
frightened
) A madman!

INNKEEPER
   (
Aside, to
MARIA
) Madmen are the children of God. (
To
QUIXOTE
) Sir knight, you must be hungry.

DON QUIXOTE
   Aye, that I am.

INNKEEPER
   There’s food aplenty, and for your squire, too. I’ll just help him stable your animals.

(
He motions to
SANCHO
to follow, and they exit
)

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Approaching the others
) Gentle knights! Fair chatelaine! If there be any among you that require assistance, you have but to speak and my good right arm is at your service. Whether it be a princess held for ransom, an army besieged and awaiting rescue, or merely . . : (
ALDONZA
has emerged laden with things for the table. She stops, puzzled at the silence
.
DON QUIXOTE
is gazing at her, stricken
) Dear God … it is she!
(ALDONZA
stares. He averts his eyes worshipfully
) Sweet lady … fair virgin … I dare not gaze full upon thy countenance lest I be blinded by beauty. But I implore thee—speak once thy name.

ALDONZA
   (
A growl
) Aldonza.

DON QUIXOTE
   My lady jests.

ALDONZA
   Aldonza!

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Approaching her
) The name of a kitchen-scullion … or mayhap my lady’s serving-maid?

ALDONZA
   I told you my name! Now get out of the way, or I’ll—

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Smiling
) Did my lady think to put me to a test? Ah, sweet sovereign of my captive heart, I shall not fail thee, for I
know
. (
Singing
)

I have dreamed thee too long,

Never seen thee or touched thee, but known thee with all of my heart,

Half a prayer, half a song,

Thou hast always been with me, though we have been always apart.

Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
I see heaven when I see thee, Dulcinea,
And thy name is like a prayer an angel whispers …
Dulcinea … Dulcinea!

If I reach out to thee,

Do not tremble and shrink from the touch of my hand on thy hair.

Let my fingers but see

Thou art warm and alive, and no phantom to fade in the air.

Dulcinea … Dulcinea …

I have sought thee, sung thee, dreamed thee, Dulcinea!

Now I’ve found thee, and the world shall know thy glory.

Dulcinea … Dulcinea!

INNKEEPER
   (
Entering; to
QUIXOTE
) Come along, Señor Knight! I’ll show you to your quarters.

(
He maneuvers
QUIXOTE
offstage
)

MARIA
   (
Mocking, to
ALDONZA
) Ay, Dulcinea!

(
The
MULETEERS
launch into an elaborate parody of the song
)

MULETEERS
   (Singing)

Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
I see heaven when I see thee, Dulcinea.

ANSELMO

And thy name is like a prayer an angel whispers …
Dulcinea … Dulcinea …

MULETEERS

Dulcinea … Dulcinea …

I have sought thee, sung thee, dreamed thee, Dulcinea!

Now I’ve found thee, and the world shall know thy glory,

Dulcinea … Dulcinea!

(
By the end
ALDONZA
has driven them about the stage, belaboring them in fury—as the lighting changes back to the prison
.
THE DUKE
is in the center of the arena, shouting the others down
)

THE DUKE
   Governor! Governor! If you don’t mind—this man proposed to offer a defense!

CERVANTES
   This
is
my defense.

THE DUKE
   The most curious I’ve ever heard!

CERVANTES
   But if it entertains …?

THE DUKE
   (
Waspishly
) The word is “diverts.” I think
your
purpose is to divert us from
ours
.

CERVANTES
   (
Cheerfully
) Precisely! And now if I may get on with it …?

THE GOVERNOR
   Continue your defense!

(CERVANTES
,
again the scene-master, selects people and arranges the next sequence as he speaks
)

CERVANTES
   Imagine now the family our brave knight left behind! Not the lords and ladies and retainers of Don Quixote de La Mancha, but the simple womenfolk of a country squire known as Alonso Quijana. (
A musical underscore begins as he beckons to three of the
PRISONERS
,
handing them costumes
) Imagine their shock as news of the master’s madness reaches them! To his niece, Antonia—who is worried about its effect on her forthcoming marriage. To his housekeeper of many years—who is worried about even darker matters. To the local Padre who has known Alonso all of his life. (
To
THE DUKE
) And shortly there will enter a character whose philosophy may appeal—enormously—to you! (
He slings a costume to
THE DUKE
) Alonso’s niece and his housekeeper hurry to the neighborhood church. (
To his
MANSERVANT
) May we have a church, please? Anguished by this terrible situation—and not unaware of what the neighbors may think—they seek help and advice from the Padre. (
The
PRISONER
selected for the
PADRE
,
now costumed, giggles with delight in his role
. CERVANTES
wipes the smile from his face, adjusts his posture
) The
Padre
. (
The
PRISONER
composes himself instantly, walks into the scene. Setting and lighting have changed; we are now in a simple country church. There are confessional screens left and right. The
PADRE
is between, listening alternately to the plaints of the two women beyond their respective screens where
CERVANTES
has positioned them, puppet-like
) But in spite of the trouble which the Squire’s madness may bring down upon
their
heads, you may be sure they are only thinking of him!

(
He snaps his fingers, and the people come to life, singing
)

ANTONIA

I’m only thinking of him,

I’m only thinking of him,

Whatever I may do or say,

I’m only thinking of him!

In my body, it’s well known,

There is not one selfish bone—

I’m only thinking and worrying about him!

I’ve been told he’s chasing dragons and I fear it may be true.

If my groom should hear about it, heaven knows what he will do!

Oh, I dearly love my uncle but for what he’s done to me

I would like to take and lock him up and throw away the key!

But if I do …

But if I do …

There is one thing that I swear will still be true …

HOUSEKEEPER

Oh, I think he’s been too lonely, living years without a spouse,

So when he returns I fear I may have trouble in the house;

For they say he seeks a lady, who his own true love shall be;

God forbid that in his madness he should ever think it’s me!

(
The
PADRE
steals a look around the screen at her, incredulously
)

If he should try

I’ll surely die,

And I will grimly guard my honor as I cry—